Detachable cap for a bottle neck

ABSTRACT

A baby bottle having a neck with a mouth, and a nipple with a horizontal flange, supported by an annular cap which is detachably connectable to the neck. The annular cap is a portion of a hollow cylinder having a radially inwardly oriented flange that presses and seals the flange of the nipple against a face end of the mouth. The annular cap is connected with a joint to an approximately fork-shaped retaining body. The retaining body is capable of being detachably snapped onto a circumferential annular groove of an outer wall of the neck. The retaining body has legs that extend over more than 180° of a neck circumference of the neck. A first side of the annular cap which is diametrically opposite from the joint has a detent protrusion facing inward that is detachably connectable to a detent recess of the neck.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a baby bottle having a neck with a mouth and anipple with a horizontal flange, which is supported by an annular capdetachably connectable to the neck, is placed on the face end of themouth, and can be sealed off from the mouth of the bottle.

2. Description of Prior Art

In conventional baby bottles of this generic type, the connectionbetween the nipple and the bottle can be made with a threaded annularcap. For refilling the baby bottle, the annular cap must be detachedfrom the body of the bottle and set aside. This involves a disadvantagethat the nipple will get dirty or drop on the floor. If several bottlesare refilled at the same time, as a is the case in hospitals, then thereis the further disadvantage that the various nipples will be reassembleon the wrong bottles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on the above prior art, it is the object of the invention toimprove a baby bottle of the type described above in such a way that,without entailing disproportionate engineering expense, is anundetachable connection between the baby bottle and the nipple even whenthe bottle is to be refilled.

This object is attained in accordance with the invention with an annularcap pivotally attached to the neck and connectable with it in such a waythat it is pivotal out of its active operational position in which theflange of the nipple pressure against the face end of the mouth into oneof its passive operational positions. The nipple is disposed laterallyof the face end of the mouth or laterally of the neck, leaving the mouthfree.

The invention is achieved whenever the annular cap carrying the nippleis connectable to the neck in such a way that first, it can connect thenipple to the baby bottle in the manner typical for the conventionalthreaded annular caps, and second, it establishes a connection betweenthe baby bottle and the nipple even when the nipple is not connectedcompressively to the mouth.

Further practical and advantageous features of the invention are definedby the dependent claims.

A particularly advantageous feature of the invention is that the annularcap is carried by a retaining body detachably connectable to the neckand is connected to this retaining body via a joint. It is advantageousif the retaining body is an approximately fork-shaped connecting piecethat can be snapped into place onto the neck and has legs that extendover more than 180° of the circumference of the neck. In this embodimentof the invention, the actual connection between the annular cap and theneck of the bottle is established with a retaining body that isdetachably connected through a detent connection, to the neck.

In another practical embodiment of the invention provides that theannular cap is a portion of a hollow cylinder having a radially inwardlyoriented flange that presses the flange of the nipple against the faceend of the mouth. If the side of the annular cap diametrically opposedto the joint, which in particular is a hinge, has an inwardly orienteddetent protrusion that is detachably connectable to a detent recess ofthe neck, then the annular cap is essentially a conventional annular capbut has no internal thread. Instead, it is a hollow-cylindrical portionthat can be snapped into place on the end piece of the neck. If the babybottle is refilled, then the annular cap can be actuated in the vicinityof its detent protrusion, releasing this detent connection, and theannular cap then pivots about the hinge.

In a baby bottle having a cup-shaped cover cap that receives the nippleand is detachably connectable to the neck, such as a sealing cap orguard, it is practical for the cover cap to have at least one protrusionon the inside protruding toward the annular cap. In the active state ofthe cover cap, this protrusion is compressively connected to the side ofthe annular cap remote from the face end of the mouth. Good, uniformdistribution of pressure is attainable for instance when the protrusionis cylindrical and is aligned with the neck in the active state of thecover cap. Within the scope of this invention, it is particularlypractical for the cover cap to comprise a basic body that can be screwedto the neck and a cup-shaped attachment detachably connected to it, inwhich the nipple is accommodated. The advantage of this embodiment ofthe invention is that the cover cap first serves as nipple guard meansand second prevents unintentional loosening of the annular cap from theneck of the bottle.

Another practical feature of the invention provides that the face end ofthe attachment, connectable to the basic body has at least one spring,engaging the opening of the basic body from behind, and has a detenttab. An adequate connection is attainable for instance with threesprings distributed over the circumference. To improve the detentconnection between the springs and the basic body, it is practical forthe inside of the opening detachably connectable to the attachment tohave an annular groove which is engaged with the detent tabs of thesprings.

Another practical embodiment of the invention provides that the end ofthe baby bottle oriented toward the bottom is detachably connectable toa base having a temperature sensor. In such embodiment, not only is theability of the bottle to stand on its own increased, but at the sametime it is ascertained whether the baby food is at the correcttemperature. A temperature film that is glued onto the base can be usedas the temperature indicator. Within the scope of this invention it isadvantageous if the base comprises a hollow-cylindrical portion, whichcan be detachably connected to the end of the bottle, and anapproximately circular surface for the bottle to stand, the diameter ofwhich is larger than the diameter of the baby bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in thedrawing and will be described in further detail wherein

FIG. 1 is a side view of an uncapped baby bottle;

FIG. 2 is a baby bottle as shown in FIG. 1, capped;

FIG. 3 shows the end toward the bottom of the bottle, shown on anenlarge scale and partly cut away;

FIG. 4 shows part of the section taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows part of the section along the line V--V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 shows part of the section along the line VI--VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a vertical plan view on an annular cap;

FIG. 8 shows a section taken along the line VIII--VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows an axial section through a cover cap;

FIG. 10 shows a plan view on the cover cap of FIG. 9 in the direction ofthe arrow X;

FIG. 11 shows the portion marked XI of the cover cap of FIG. 9, shown onan enlarged scale;

FIG. 12 shows a side view of an attachment;

FIG. 13 shows a section taken along the line XIII--XIII of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 shows a section along the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1, 5 and 6 a baby bottle, or part of a baby bottle, having aneck with a mouth 10 is shown. The mouth 10 can be connected to anipple, not shown in the drawing, having a horizontal flange supportedby an annular cap that can be detachably connected to the neck. Theflange is placed on the face end 18 of the mouth 10 and can be sealedoff from it.

As FIG. 5 shows, the annular cap 14 is pivotally attached to the neck 12and can be connected to it in such a way that it is pivotal out of anactive operational position in which the flange of the nipple is pressedagainst the face end 18 of the mouth 10 into one of its passiveoperational positions. In such passive operational position the nippleis disposed laterally of the face end 18 of the mouth 10 or laterally ofthe neck 12 and leaves the mouth 10 free.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the annular cap 14 supported by a retaining body 20detachably connected to the neck 12 and connected to the retaining bodyvia a joint 22. The retaining body 20 is an approximately fork-likeconnecting piece that can be snapped onto the neck 12 with legs 24 and26 that extend over more than 180° of the neck circumference. As shownin FIG. 8, the annular cap 14 is a portion of a hollow cylinder having aradially inwardly oriented flange 28, which can press the flange of thenipple against the face end 18 of the mouth 10. The side of the annularcap 14 diametrically opposite from the joint or hinge 22 has a detentprotrusion 32 facing inward that is detachably connected to a detentrecess 30 of the neck 12. This detent protrusion 32 can be actuated viaan actuation protrusion 34.

The outer wall of the neck 12 has an annular groove 36 about thecircumference, onto which the retaining body can be snapped. The annulargroove 36 is defined from above via a flange 38, while in its lowerregion it annular groove 36 is defined by an enlargement 40 in thediameter of the neck 12.

FIGS. 2 and 5 particularly show a cup-like cover cap 42, for instance asealing cap or guard, that receives the nipple and is detachablyconnectable to the neck. The cover cap 42 has a cylindrical protrusion44 on the inside, protruding toward the annular cap 14. In the activestate of the cover cap 42 as shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion 44 iscompressively connected with the side of the annular cap 14 remote fromthe face end 18 of the mouth 10. The protrusion 44 is in alignment withthe end portion of the neck 12.

FIGS. 2 and 9-14 show that the cover cap 42 comprises a base body 50that can be screwed onto the neck and has an approximately circularopening 52 for the nipple, and a cup-shaped attachment 54 detachablyconnectable to the basic body 50, in which the nipple is accommodated.The face end 56 of the attachment 54 connectable to the base body 50 hasthree springs 60, 61 and 62 engaging the opening 52 from behind withdetent tabs 64, 65 and 66. The inside of the opening 52 detachablyconnectable to the detachment 54 has an annular groove 68, which isengaged by the detent tabs 64, 65 and 66 of the springs 60, 61 and 62.The lower region of the inside of the base body 50 has a thread 70, sothat the base body 50 can be mated with the thread 72 of the bottle 12.The cylindrical outside of the base body 50 has a plurality of axiallyaligned grooves 76 and 78, which facilitate the mating of the base body50.

A base 80 or part of a base 80 is shown, in FIG. 2 which is detachablyconnectable to the bottom end of the bottle. The base 80 is asubstantially a hollow-cylindrical body that tapers toward its bottom82. The inside of the base 80 has detent protrusion 85, which isform-fittingly connectable to a detent recess 90 of the bottom of thebaby bottle, as shown in FIG. 3.

I claim:
 1. In a baby bottle having a neck with a mouth, and a nipplewith a horizontal flange, which is supported by an annular cap that isdetachably connectable to the neck, the annular cap being shaped as aportion of a hollow cylinder having a radial flange oriented inwardly,the radial flange pressing and sealing the horizontal flange of thenipple against a face end of the mouth, the improvement comprising:theannular cap (14) connected with a joint (22) to a retaining body (20)having arcuate legs (24, 26), the arcuate legs (24, 26) of the retainingbody (20) detachably snapped within a circumferential annular groove(36) about an outer wall of the neck (12), the arcuate legs (24, 26)together extending about more than a 180° segment of a neckcircumference of the neck (12); and a first side wall of the annular cap(14) diametrically opposed with respect to the joint (22) having aninwardly directed detent protrusion (32) engageable within acorrespondingly positioned detent recess (30) within said outer wall ofthe neck (12) for detachably connecting the annular cap (14) to the neck(12).
 2. In a baby bottle according to claim 1, further comprising: acup-shaped cover cap (42) having a base body (50) with an opening (52)for receiving the nipple, said cover cap (42) detachably connectable tothe neck (12),said cover cap (42) having at least one protrusion (44)extending from an inside surface of said cover cap (42) toward theannular cap (14), when the cover cap (42) is connected to the neck (12)the at least one protrusion (44) being compressed against an upper sideof the annular cap (14) which is spaced from a face end (18) of themouth (10).
 3. In a baby bottle according to claim 2, wherein theprotrusion (44) is annular and when the cover cap (42) is connected tothe neck (12) the annular protrusion (44) is vertically aligned with theneck (12).
 4. In a baby bottle according to claim 3, wherein saidopening (52) is approximately circular, the nipple is positioned withinsaid opening (52), and said cover cap (42) further comprises acup-shaped attachment (54), when positioned within said opening (52) alower portion of said attachment (54) being detachably connectable tosaid base body (50).
 5. In a baby bottle according to claim 4, whereinsaid lower portion of said attachment (54) that is detachablyconnectable to said base body (50) has at least one spring (60, 61, 62)each having a detent tab (64, 65, 66) for fixing said attachment (54)within said opening (52).
 6. In a baby bottle according to claim 5,wherein the attachment (54) has three said springs (60, 61, 62)circumferentially positioned and circumferentially spaced from eachother.
 7. In a baby bottle according to claim 6, wherein an insidesurface of said base body (50) which defines said opening (52) has anannular groove (68) in which said detent tabs (64, 65, 66) areengageable.
 8. In a baby bottle according to claim 2, wherein saidopening (52) is approximately circular, the nipple is positioned withinsaid opening (52), and said cover cap (42) further comprises acup-shaped attachment (54) when positioned within said opening (52) alower portion of said attachment (54) being detachably connectable tosaid base body (50).
 9. In a baby bottle according to claim 2, wherein alower portion of an attachment (54) that is detachably connectable tosaid base body (50) has at least one spring (60, 61, 62) each having adetent tab (64, 65, 66) for fixing said attachment (54) within saidopening (52).
 10. In a baby bottle according to claim 2, furthercomprising a cup-shaped attachment (54), when positioned within saidopening (52) a lower portion of said attachment (54) being detachablyconnectable to said base body with three springs (60, 61, 62)circumferentially positioned and circumferentially spaced from eachother about said lower portion of said attachment (54).
 11. In a babybottle according to claim 5, wherein an inside surface of said base body(50) which defines said opening (52) has an annular groove (68) in whichsaid detent tabs (64, 65, 66) are engageable.